Aspiring writers waiting for their big breaks could see their bylines in a local literary magazine, since students founded a group this semester to improve student stories and get them published.

The organization, Promising Young Authors, allows students to submit short fiction stories for peer editing and a shot at publication in The Washington Pastime, a Washington-based magazine, at the end of each semester.

Paul Karaffa, the magazine’s founder and editor in chief, created the PYA contest this summer as an opportunity for students to professionally publish their stories, which he said is often the highest hurdle new writers face as they try to enter the fiction industry.

“It’s really hard for writers to get their first credential,” Karaffa said. “The idea was to be able to give students the opportunity to see their own work in an outside publication.”

Vanessa Munoz, the senior English major who founded this university’s PYA chapter in September, said she thought submitting a story to the contest would be a great way for her to break into the writing world. She established the chapter after discovering this university was not initially participating in the competition.

“I knew it would be a lot of work, but I thought it would be something good to bring to campus,” she said.

So far, the PYA student editors at this university have received about 10 submissions with storylines ranging from love affairs to war dramas to fantasy tales. To be considered by PYA, the stories must be between 500 and 6,000 words and contain no erotica. Munoz and three other editors edit the rough drafts and send them back to the authors for revisions, and students can resubmit their edited stories for another go-round.

“We just try to help [the students] as much as we can,” PYA senior editor Hannah Garland said. “This program is intended to create a space for amateur writers to get better at their craft.”

At the end of the semester, Garland, a senior English major, and the other editors in the group will choose the top two stories and submit them to the magazine.

Karaffa will select a few stories for publication after receiving finalists from each university. Along with a slot in The Washington Pastime, the first place student will take home a $500 award and the runner-up will win a $250 cash prize.

PYA editor Brittany Britto, a senior English major, said her interest in short story writing prompted her to join the group.

“I do a lot of short story writing myself, so it sounded really interesting,” Britto said. “I think it’s important for students to know the different options for getting their stories out there.”

Although this university’s group only got off the ground a little more than a month ago, Munoz said she’s pleased by the amount of submissions the editors have received.

“It’s been way better than expected — we’re overwhelmed by the success of it right now,” she said of the club.

And Karaffa said the nationwide program — which started in July and currently boasts nine college chapters, with more on the way — has also seen success in a short period of time.

“I think the fact that we have eight set up with five more in the works is very telling about how big an interest there is,” he said.

Although most of the students currently involved in this university’s PYA chapter are seniors facing graduation, the editors said they hope more students — especially editors — jump in to keep the opportunity alive for the university’s future writers.

“I definitely hope that we get more editors,” said Garland. “I hope students will be interested in this, because this is just such a great opportunity to gain experience.”

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